»Minimalism in Germany«

In 1967, Peter Roehr and Paul Maenz curated the ­exhibition »Serial Formations« at University of Frankfurt’s studio gallery, one of the first ever exhibitions on Minimal Art in Germany. Within the framework of the exhibition series »Minimalism in Germany«, launched in 2005, Daimler Art Collection is attempting to re-stage this ­historically significant presentation. At that time, it had comprehensively summarized current international minimalist trends, and juxtaposed them with positions by German artists. The selection criterion for the 62 works in total by 48 artists was the principle of serial order as a visual aspect of images and objects. The concepts they were based on, however, could be quite diverse and even contradictory. The European Zero movement was represented, as well as American Minimal and ­Concept Art, aspects of Nouveau Réalisme, Pop and Op Art – Paul Maenz wrote in the accompanying catalog, »the ambition of ›Serielle Formationen‹ was to inform and to identify the differences between seemingly similar art phenomena«. The unique feature of the publication on the current exhibition in Berlin is the complete reprint of the, now very sought-after, original catalog, which is an excellent example of early conceptual book design.